Penn State loses game, star guard to injury

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico -- Zeke Marshall had 17 points and six blocks, and Akron beat Penn State 85-60 in the fifth-place game at the Puerto Rico Tipoff on Sunday.

D.J. Newbill had 20 points for the Nittany Lions (2-2), who played the final 34 minutes of the game without their best player, Tim Frazier, after the senior suffered what a team spokesman called a lower left leg injury.

Frazier walked out of the arena on his power. He will be re-evaluated when the team returns Monday to State College.

Penn State trailed by four at halftime before getting outscored 53-24 in the final 20 minutes.

"I felt like we played a great first 20 minutes, but when you lose a player of the caliber of a Tim Frazier and he's your point guard as well, it's very difficult," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "He's a high-production player, and we just couldn't sustain it in the second half."

Frazier didn't score in six minutes of play.

Carmelo Betancourt and Demetrius Treadwell had 10 points each for the Zips. Marshall scored six points during a 13-3 run to open the second half that put Akron up for good.

"We came out with more energy. It felt like practice, honestly," Marshall said. "I'm pumped for the regular season."

Eleven of his 17 points came from the foul line. Marshall set a tournament record with 13 total blocks.

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"It isn't the first time I've broke records and it won't be the last," Marshall said. "I don't understand why other people can't do it. It's that easy."

Ross Travis had 11 points and 10 rebounds, but shot just 1 of 10 from the floor for Penn State.

Newbill, a transfer from Southern Mississippi, tried to pick up the slack in the backcourt when Frazier went down. The sophomore shot 8 of 17 from the field and added six rebounds and five assists.

"We tried to keep it together," Chambers said. "We have to pick up the pieces and continue to get better. We have to figure out how we are going to play and compete with the group we have for as long as we may not have Tim."

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